


rain is falling from the sky (it never touches you, you're way up high)

by Rai_Knightshade



Series: The Bradyverse [13]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: ...mostly, Angst, Angst and hurt/comfort ensues, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attack on the Phoenix, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Whump, Everybody Lives, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Oh and neither Aleks nor Rai are het so their relationship is still queer, also song references, also you get to meet Aleks and Rai, and they're making for fun babysitters for the kids, just FYI, the Phoenix gets attacked while the kids are there!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:33:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25154005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rai_Knightshade/pseuds/Rai_Knightshade
Summary: Computer programmer Raina Brantley and Interpol Liaison Aleksandr Lichtenson are babysitting the Macgyver-Dalton kids when the Phoenix is attacked! How will they deal with saving the day and keeping the kids safe and calm?
Relationships: Angus MacGyver & Original Child Character(s), Jack Dalton & Original Child Character(s), Jack Dalton/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Original Male Character(s)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Bradyverse [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1561579
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. birds are flying over europe's skies (why can't I?)

**Author's Note:**

> It's been 84 years, again, but I finally finished this fic so now y'all can read it and finally meet my two adult Macgyver OC's 😂. Also I think this qualifies as light whump at this point, it gets... A bit emotional at times. Such is life at the Phoenix I suppose.
> 
> Btw this takes place in the alt timeline where Mac and Jack continue to work for the Phoenix even with kids, rather than returning outright when they get Brady.

Raina Brantley glanced down at her keyboard before looking back up at her computer screen. This bit of code was being tricky, not wanting to show an image in quite the right spot, but she was confident she could fix it. She just needed one more tag... There! She checked the real-time appearance of the page, and it finally looked right. Another miracle of coding achieved.

She clicked the save button just as she heard, or rather felt, something run into the legs of her chair. Curious, she looked down and around only to find one big brown eye looking up at her shyly.

The blonde smiled, twisting to get a better look at the toddler below her. "Hi there Miss Eliza, how are you today?"

"Good," she replied softly.

"Would you like to see what I'm working on? I'll let you sit in my lap and everything!" That had the toddler nodding excitedly and scrambling up into the woman's lap. Raina laughed quietly while she helped the girl get situated, until she was settled comfortably in Raina's lap. Together they rolled back up to the desk so Rai could explain what she was doing.

"See all these letters and numbers and symbols?" A little nod. "They're what makes up the website for the Phoenix, they tell the computer what to show on the screen and how to show it. Right now, I'm telling the computer how I want it to show a video of your Daddy's robot friend, Sparky."

Eliza whipped her head up. "Sparky in video??? Daddy in video too????"

"Yeah, Sparky's in a video!" Rai chuckled. "But not Daddy, sorry. No Uncle Bozer either." Eliza pouted at that. "Would you like to watch Sparky's video, Eli? Even without Daddy or Uncle Bozer in it?"

The little girl thought really hard about that. Eventually she looked up and nodded once, resolutely. "Sparky video," she said solemnly.

"Sparky video it is then," Raina's tone was equally grave as she pulled up the video. Having already seen it many times already as she set up the web page, Raina focused more on Eliza's reactions. The little nose scrunches, giggles, and rocking back and forth with the robot's movements, they all had a personality to them that was unique to the toddler, and Raina thought they were all just as adorable as the child herself.

Raina mused a bit on toddlers and future children, but she was interrupted by the doors opening behind her.

"Hey, babe! Sorry to interrupt your work but I need your help!"

"I think you mean  _ we _ need her help, Mr. Aleksandr."

"Right, right,  _ we _ need your help Raina."

A slow smirk arose on her face as she turned to look at the three new faces in her department. As she did, she gently put a finger to Eliza's lips in a shushing motion, not wanting her to accidentally spoil Rai's fun. Eli caught on quick, and made her own quiet "ssshhh!" sound into her hands.

"What seems to be the problem, Aleksandr? Did you lose something again?"

The Interpol agent picked at his hands sheepishly even as the older children flanking him spoke up. "We lost Ellie-May again Miss Raina!" Brady cried.

"You gotta help us find her! We've looked  _ everywhere _ !" Arista added with a worried look.

"Did you now?" Raina replied, a single eyebrow raised. "Where all did you look?"

Aleksandr was the one to reply this time. "We looked in the war room, the labs, the break rooms, hair and makeup, we even looked to see if she'd managed to get into the computer room but there's been no sign of her! I'm at my wit's end Rai, Mac and Jack'll be back in an hour and I can't tell them I lost their baby!"

Brady nodded solemnly, not unlike the way Eliza had moments before. "No force on Earth would protect him from Papa's wrath, and Daddy wouldn't be far behind." Aleksandr paled considerably. 

"We like Mr. Aleksandr though, so you gotta help us find her!" Arista was adamant, hands clasped together in a pleading motion.

Raina pretended to think about it for a long minute, wanting to draw out her boyfriend's agony just a bit longer. "I dunno.... You guys haven't actually checked  _ everywhere _ , you know."

The kids looked confused, sharing a look. "Where haven't we looked?" Brady asked, concerned. "Did we miss a spot?!"

Raina couldn't keep the shit-eating grin from her face as she turned fully around. "Yup, you missed right here."

Eliza bounced happily, a squeal leaving her lips. "Bubba!!! Rissy!!!! Found you!!!!!!" The older kids cheered, coming up to hug their baby sister and listen to her babbles. Meanwhile Aleksandr just stood there, shell shocked.

"....where... How..... What?!?!"

"Aww, was the big bad Interpol agent bested by a wittle bitty baby?" Rai smirked up at the man, easily surrendering Eliza to her older siblings so they could more easily shower her in cuddles. "That's pretty bad, not gonna lie."

Aleksandr sputtered. "She's an escape artist! It's the only explanation! I only had my back turned for a second, and anyways how did she even get down here?!?!?"

Rai just shrugged. "Dude, I stopped questioning how these kids do anything after the second time Brady snuck into the labs under his dad's nose; they're Macgyvers, they can do pretty much anything."

"Good to know," he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Anyways, how's your day been so far?" He came closer, leaning in to give her a soft peck to the temple. "Anything exciting? Besides Eliza of course."

She pondered that for a few moments, rubbing her nose against Aleksandr's cheek. "Not really, just finishing a web page that was being stubborn. Not nearly as exciting as your day, apparently." She giggled as she saw Eliza accidentally plop down after reaching for a toy Brady was holding above her. "Hey, don't tease her Brady, or you'll be the one comforting her when she cries."

"'m not teasing!" Brady was indignant. "I always meant to give her the toy! Just didn't count on her fallin' before she could reach it." As he spoke Eliza whimpered, a sure precursor to full crying, so he handed her the toy. She immediately brightened, squealing happily as she shook the toy. "See?"

Rai nodded, satisfied. "I believe you." Brady grinned back, and looked as if he was about to say something, but before he could he was interrupted.

By the intruder alarms.


	2. lift your heart, rise above (and let the music guide you)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The adults spring into action to protect the kids, and we see the aftermath of battle.

For a moment everyone just looked at each other, not quite comprehending what they were hearing. It was only a moment though, the adults springing into action immediately. Rai stood and gathered the kids to her, picking up Eliza and shushing her when she whimpered. Aleksandr pulled out his phone as he sprinted for the door, locking it and tinting the privacy glass.

"I've got good news and bad news kids," Aleks called, putting his phone away. He looked up with a grim expression. "The good news is, Daddy and Papa are home early; the bad news is they accidentally brought some not so nice people with them who've decided to attack the building."

"Are we in danger?!" Arista whispered fearfully, clutching Brady's hand.

Rai was the one to answer. "Yes, but we've got a safe room here that we're going to stay in; it'll protect us until Daddy and Papa and the other adults can save the day." She started guiding the kids toward it, Aleksandr running to help.

"She's right, the safe rooms are built to withstand anything. You'll be perfectly safe, and your dads will be up to get you in no time." Aleks punched in a code on a seemingly innocuous piece of wall, revealing a door hidden behind it. Rai in turn reached for the door, pulling it open and ushering the kids inside.

They went willingly, but Brady turned once he was inside the safe room with a confused look on his face. "But what about  _ you _ , Mr. Aleksandr? Aren't you going to be in here too?"

Aleks stood in the doorway after Rai had entered the room, handing Eliza to her older sister. He had a determined expression, hardened from years of experience, though it softened slightly as he looked down at Brady. "No, Brayden, I'm going to help your fathers and the rest of the team fight off the attackers."

"No! You could get hurt Mr. Aleksandr!" Brady cried, running up to tackle Aleks' torso. "Don't go, please!"

Aleks kneeled, bringing the child in for a hug. He rubbed comforting circles across the boy's back, trying to hush his tears. "I have to Brady; I gotta help save the day and keep you and your family safe. What if I'm in here and your dads got hurt instead, somewhere I could have helped keep them safe, huh?" He pulled away slightly, looking Brady in the eyes. "I promise, Brayden, I'll do everything I can to stay safe and come back; and hey, maybe we can all go to Papa Jack's favorite pizza and skeeball place after the dust settles, yeah? You, your sisters, your dads, me and Miss Rai, your aunts and uncles too if they want. Think of that, instead of the bad, ok?"

Brady's eyes darted across the man's face, searching for a lie he wouldn't find. Finally he nodded, standing up straight and putting on a brave face. "Ok, Uncle Aleks."

Aleks smiled sadly. "Ok." He pulled Brady in for one more hug, then sent him towards his sisters for more hugs and soft whispers of reassurance. Then he stood up, finally turning towards Raina.

They looked at each other for only a moment, before Rai was reaching out and pulling him in for a tight hug. She buried her face in his neck, allowing herself to break just a little where the children couldn't see. They simply breathed together for a few seconds, never really used to the fear of loss no matter how many times Aleks left for a mission. Finally they pulled away, only for Rai to lean in for a hard kiss, a 'thank you' and a 'sorry' and a 'please come back'. And Aleksandr? Well, he kissed her back like he'd always kissed her, like it was their first hello and their last goodbye all at once.

Then he pulled away, leaving the 4 civilians with a wink and a jaunty wave, the safe room door closing behind with a deafeningly soft click.

* * *

The next 30 minutes felt like the longest 30 minutes in Rai's life. She sat in the back corner, the two elder children cuddled under each arm, the baby in the middle of her crossed legs. They sat in silence for a while, listening tentatively for gunshots or the telltale booms of one of Mac's improvisations. So far they'd heard none.

Eventually, Arista looked up at her temporary caretaker. "Aunt Rai?" She asked, taking cues from Brady's slip earlier. "Do you know any songs?"

Rai smiled softly. "I know a few, why?"

Arista ducked her head again, leaning into the woman's side. "Would you sing for us? Papa always sings for us when we're scared."

Rai was touched that the girl would reveal that, would want to share that with her. "Of course; in fact, I think I have the perfect song in mind." Calling up an old memory of music listened in her grandparents' old 60's convertible, she softly began to sing.

🎶 _ Clearing skies, and drying eyes, _

_ Now I see your smile; _

_ Darkness goes, and softness shows, _

_ A changing style. _

_ Just in time, words that rhyme, _

_ Well bless your soul; _

_ Now I'll fill you hands with kisses and _

_ A tootsie roll... _ 🎵

She paused for a breath, looking down at the toddler sleeping in her lap. She smiled wistfully as she reached the chorus.

🎶 _ Reality, is not for me, _

_ And it makes me laugh; _

_ Oh, fantasy world, _

_ And Disney girls! _

_ I'm coming back... _ 🎵

They sat like that for a long while, Rai softly singing along to the track playing in her head. The children fell into fitful naps, soothed by the gentle whispers and silent room.

Rai herself had almost been lulled into a short nap of her own when suddenly she heard footsteps outside. Her head shot up, adrenaline already coursing through her veins again, and she carefully disentangled herself from the children before grabbing a baseball bat along the wall and standing at the ready beside the door. She heard the wall covering move away, and the code being punched into the panel to unlock the door.

As soon as it was open she leaped into action, swinging the bat as hard and fast as she could at the potential threat. Belatedly, she heard a familiar Texan drawl as the 'attacker' quickly ducked with a "whoa, hoss! Hold your horses there girlie it's just me!" She finished the swing but let the bat hang down at her side, a shocked expression slowly being replaced with a wide, relieved grin as she stared Jack Dalton-Macgyver in the eye. The children, however, woke up before she could say anything.

"PAPA!!!!!" "PAPA YOU'RE OKAY!!!!" "PAPA PAPA PAPA!!!" Jack laughed happily as he was tackled by three little bodies, pulling them all in close and cradling each child's head in turn.

"Hey, I'm ok, I missed you kids too." Jack whispered platitudes to the kids, comforting where he could. He looked up to find Rai still standing in the doorway, looking around for something. She looked down, meeting his eye again.

"Where's...?"

Jack sighed, disentangling himself from the kids for a moment. He stood up and came closer, a tired look on his face. "Mac's in the infirmary; he got hit in the head pretty hard, plus a GSW to the leg that's being dealt with now. I'm takin' the kids down in a moment so they'll be there when he wakes up." He sighed again, before taking Rai's hands in his bigger calloused ones. "But... Your boy isn't doing as hot. He got shot too, but in the chest. He's in surgery now-" 

But that was all Rai heard, as she was already sprinting for the door.

* * *

Jack and the kids joined her in the waiting room a while later, after she'd spoken to the doctor. Brady immediately ran up to Rai, questions in his eyes.

"Is Uncle Aleks gonna be ok?"

Rai sat down heavily in her chair, pulling Brady to stand in front of her. "I don't know, Brayden. The doctor was hopeful, but he's still in surgery. I'll let you know when I know more, ok? You go visit your dad now, he should be waking up and he'll want to see you." Brady looked uncertain, but when Jack called him over encouragingly he nodded softly and went.

The programmer smiled when she heard the joyful reunion through the curtain on Mac's room, glad that they'd all been returned to each other. It quickly faded, however, as she looked down at the bracelet on her wrist, a gift from Aleks for their 6 month anniversary. She chuckled softly, remembering his comment not to "expect this every 6 months love, I don't have the money for that, but once a year and whenever else I think about it you'll get a present." 

She was pulled from her melancholy memory by the doctor returning. "He's stable, and his prognosis is good, Miss Brantley; we're wheeling him into an ICU room now so you can visit him. Let us know if his breathing changes or if something seems off."

Rai nodded her thanks, and let him guide her to the new room Aleks had been moved to. She stopped in the doorway, hesitant to enter. He looked unnaturally pale against the bedsheets and the white bandages covering his chest, black hair standing out against white and flushed red cheeks. A nurse gently urged her forward, sensing her hesitance, and guided her into a chair on the right side of the bed. "You won't hurt him, dear, don't worry." 

After showing her how to gently hold Aleks' hand the nurse left, until Rai only had her thoughts, the soft whir of machines, and her boyfriend's huffed breaths.

She found she had nothing to say to a man who couldn't hear her. So she sat in silence for a long while, looking around the room for a few moments at a time before inevitably returning her gaze to the man in the hospital bed. He didn't even look like a man; without the scruff, or the tension around his eyes that always seemed to be there when he was awake, he looked more like a boy, much younger than his 24 years of life. It was unsettling, realizing just how young they both still were.

Eventually the silence got to her, but she still didn't know what to say; words didn't seem to be enough. Then she remembered Arista's request, not so long ago yet feeling like decades away, and remembered the song she'd been translating as a surprise for Aleksandr. It was one of his favorite songs, originally written in English but she'd been slowly translating it into Suomi as she herself was learning the language. She hoped to surprise him for his birthday by singing it for him in his native language as best she could with her American accent, but maybe she could sing it now instead and bring him comfort in his sleep. So, quietly, she took his hand, and began to sing in halting phrases.

🎶 _ I used to be in search for beauty, _

_ Used to be in search for grace; _

_ Now I see your lakes, your forests, _

_ You have put a smile on my face. _

_ Once I thought I'd seen it all, _

_ Now I know that life _

_ Is so much more _

_ Suomi, Finland in my heart, forever; _

_ Suomi, Finland in my heart, forever.... _ 🎵

* * *

It was a couple hours before Aleksandr finally woke up; anesthesia usually hit him pretty hard, so Rai wasn't surprised. He stirred with a weak groan, eyes blinking blearily up at the ceiling before focusing properly. He blinked in confusion when the lights suddenly dimmed. "Whuh...?"

"Sorry if I startled you, I thought the darker room might be better." The man turned to see his girlfriend smiling softly at him. "How are you feeling? Do you need some ice?"

Aleks thought about it for a moment. "...yeah," he croaked, so Rai headed for the door.

After Rai had retrieved the ice and his throat was soothed, Aleks finally felt awake enough to talk. "Babe, what happened?"

"What do you remember?"

"Not much, I remember covering for Dalton, then a sharp pain in my chest, stumbling back, then.... Nothing."

Rai filled in the blanks. "You were shot in the chest. Jack and a couple of TAC team guys got the rest of the enemy, but you were already bleeding out. Jack carried you to the infirmary, where the doctors that had been locked in immediately prepped you for surgery." She looked down suddenly, overwhelmed, and when she looked up there were tears in her eyes and rolling over her cheeks. "You almost died, Aleksandr; the doctor said if you hadn't been in the building... And there was nothing I could do but wait."

Aleks was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry, Raina. I tried to stay safe, it just.... You never know what's going to happen."

Rai nodded. "I know, I knew that when you first asked me to dinner months ago, I just... It doesn't make the pain and fear any better."

The Interpol Liaison looked down, tears forming in his eyes too. "If it's too much... I'd understand. It's hard to be in this life, let alone watching someone else live it, not knowing when or if they're coming home. I only ask that we stay friends; I'd be happy just having you in my life in some way, even if it's just as friends."

"No."

Aleks looked up, only to be captivated by the fire in Rai's eyes.

"No, Aleksandr, I'm in this for the long haul; it hurts, a lot, but being with you is worth it, for the skeeball dates and pillow fights and soft laughs, and seeing the love in your eyes when we eat breakfast every morning, and talking for hours about anything and everything. It's worth the pain if I can have that and a million other things for the rest of my life." She paused, searching Aleks' face for something, and in finding it made her decision. "In fact I think I'd like to be by your side, in hospital beds and on our couch at home, for the rest of my life."

Aleks looked shocked. "Was... Was that a proposal?"

"What would you say if it was?"

"I'd say... You kinda stole my thunder, babe; I had a ring ready and everything."

And when Jack knocked softly on the door later, Brady in tow after bribing the doctor for "just five minutes so Brady knows his Uncle Aleks is ok, man, then we'll leave, honest!", He found the two deep in conversation, wide grins on their faces, and what looked like a paperclip loop around Aleks' left ring finger.

**Author's Note:**

> Songs mentioned in this fic:  
> Title: Into a Fantasy, by Alexander Rybak; featured as a credits song in European releases of How To Train Your Dragon 2  
> Chapter 1 title: Europe's Skies, by Alexander Rybak, from the album No Boundaries  
> Chapter 2 title: Let the Music Guide You, by Alexander Rybak, single  
> Songs in chapter 2, in order: Disney Girls, by the Beach Boys, cover by Alexander Rybak, from the album No Boundaries; Suomi (Finland), by Alexander Rybak, from the album No Boundaries
> 
> (If you're sending a theme here it's cause I've been hyperfixating on this one dude for like a month now and it turns out I like basically his entire discography, who knew.)


End file.
